Portland District Health Annual Report 2008 - South West Alliance of ...

chief executive’s report
IT IS PLEASING TO REPORT THAT THE PAST YEAR STANDS AS A PROUD
TESTIMONY TO THE ABILITY OF OUR BOARD OF MANAGEMENT AND STAFF TO
MEET THE CHALLENGES AND UNCERTAINTIES OF CHANGE. WE HAVE NOW
RECORDED SOLID POSITIVE RESULTS ACROSS OUR HEALTH SERVICE.
John C O’Neill
Portland District Health has started a journey towards
becoming the best small regional health service. While
that journey has a way to go, we are well down the road
towards reaching our goal of providing a sustainable and
financially viable local health service.
CLINICAL SERVICES FRAMEWORK
Our journey started when President Greg Andrews and
Vice-President Jim Harpley met with Health Minister
Bronwyn Pike in May 2007. The Minister endorsed the
board’s action plan to address:
• The decline in patient activity;
• The escalation in operating deficits; and
• Various clinical and corporate governance issues.
Arising from the meeting with Ms Pike came:
• The appointment of two Ministerial Delegates;
• The appointment of an Interim Chief Executive; and
• The engagement of Aspex Consulting to prepare a
five year Clinical Services Plan and Model of Care.
Following a six month study and extensive public
consultation over a three month period, the board
endorsed the Clinical Services Plan and Model of Care
at its May 2008 meeting.
The board’s decision enabled Portland District Health to
affirm its direction as a local health service providing
a range of acute, sub-acute, residential aged care and
primary and ambulatory health services to the local
catchment area. To achieve this new model of care,
Portland District Health recognises that services must be
delivered within the framework of:
John C O’Neill
BEc DPA AFCHSE AFAIM
For 18 years John has held significant and
pivotal management portfolios in the delivery
of health care services in public and private
settings in both New Zealand and Australia
including at La Trobe Regional Hospital, the
Victorian Rehabilitation Centre, General
Manager Psychiatric Services Department of
Human Services and Regional Director of Health.
Many of these positions have required John
to take on significant change management
and leadership responsibilities, and have
called on him to undertake major structural
reorganisation.
John has been a board member of the Young
Offenders Board and the Victorian Rehabilitation
Centre as well as Chairman of Victorian and
Tasmanian Cardiac Retrieval Services and the
Corrections Health Board.
John holds qualifications in economics and
public administration and is an associate fellow
of the Australian College of Health Service
Executives and the Australian Institute of
Management.
He is married to Maree and an avid supporter of
the Melbourne Football Club, keen tennis player
and has owned slow race horses.
• Sustainability;
• Service integration;
• Workforce capacity; and
• Service quality.
ANNUAL REPORT 07/08